330 Oz of Blood, Aeon of Love
by shasa
Summary: Bellatrix arrives at Malfoy Manor from the Department of Mysteries with triumphant news of Sirius' death; news that Narcissa doesn't react well to. Oh and Lucius is insecure. "Oh Lucius! Don't be a great stupid prat! He was my cousin!"


**In case you care about the title, it took me forever to come up with it. The reason it's so bizarre: **

**1) There are approximately 165 oz of blood in the human body. Blood represents family, so that's 330 oz for Bellatrix and Sirius (who are Narcissa's "blood" in this fic) **

**2) One of the quotes at the bottom of the page inspired me by saying an oz of blood = a pound of friendship. I don't necessarily agree, but it was quite thought-provoking.**

**3) An aeon is an eternity, and eternity of love sounded too cheesy so I used aeon instead. Well it sounds pretty cheesy all the same, but I think the word aeon looks cool. :) **

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all~**

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><p>"CISSY! Cissy! You'll never guess who I saw at the Department of Mysteries!" Bellatrix's gaunt face, hollowed from years at Azkaban, was alight with fierce glee as she regarded her younger sister. Lucius stood somewhat awkwardly beside her, being left out of the interaction. Narcissa turned her head slowly from the heavy book she was reading, put down her cup of tea, and arched a perfectly shaped blond brow. When she saw her husband her pale face brightened and she hurriedly put the book down, running to hug him fiercely. Bellatrix scowled at her lack of response to her dramatic statement.<p>

"Lucius! You're not very hurt are you?" she asked him worriedly, her arms thrown around his neck. He smoothed her scrunched brow with his fingertips. "No, but I reckon the Ministry will be here to clap me in irons and take me to Azkaban sometime tomorrow. That and your sister seems to be getting ready to hex us both if you don't start paying her mind," he said dryly. Narcissa looked like she didn't know which part of his reply she should be more worried about. She decided Bellatrix was the more pressing matter at the moment.

She turned to her scowling sister, a faint expression of impatience on her face. "Yes Bella? Who did you meet?" Her sister's manic excitement was back and she straightened up impressively. "Our _dear _cousin Sirius!" Bellatrix sneered. Narcissa's eyes widened and her face turned white and ashen, even more so than her usual pale complexion. "And I murdered the filthy blood traitor!" Bellatrix crowed triumphantly, unaware of the effects the news was having on her little sister.

Narcissa's wide blue eyes suddenly became unseeing, and her eyelids fluttered violently before her legs gave way under her. Lucius caught her. "Narcissa!" he exclaimed, alarmed at her sudden weakness. The petite woman stood up resolutely, her fisted hands trembling and white-knuckled. Narcissa faced the ground and Bellatrix moved forwards uncertainly, not sure what was wrong. "HOW DARE YOU?" Narcissa shouted as she looked up suddenly, her sky-blue eyes flashing fiercely. Bellatrix was taken aback at her sister's reaction.

"Cissy? I thought you'd be pleased! I rid our family of lowlife scum!" She smiled indulgently, as if she was giving Narcissa a treat.

"Sirius was _family _Bellatrix! He may have made a good many mistakes, but he was our _cousin! HOW COULD YOU KILL HIM?_" She shrieked. There were glittering tears in Narcissa's eyes now. Lucius fingered his wand in case things got ugly, but he mostly wanted to stay out of his wife's family business.

"No Narcissa!" Bellatrix's full lip was curling now with a pronounced sneer. "He deserved to die!"

Narcissa dashed towards the table upon which she had set her teacup and hurled it and the heavy book at Bellatrix. There was a mad glint in her eyes now, and Lucius could clearly see her relation to Bellatrix. Usually it seemed as if they were not only from different families, but different sides of the globe. The only attribute they shared was their pride and haughty attitude. Bellatrix shrieked with anger and raised her wand, furious. Lucius quickly Disarmed her, snatching her wand out of the air.

"Sorry Bellatrix," he said in a pleasant but cool tone, not meaning it in the least. "I cannot have you harming my wife, especially in my own house," his ash grey eyes flickered to Narcissa, who had collapsed in tears upon the settee she was priorly sitting on and was currently sobbing into her hands. A tiny furrow appeared between his blond eyebrows. "I think it best if you leave," he said testily. Bellatrix glared at him then at Narcissa and nodded curtly. He tossed her her wand and watched her leave with another dark glower in her sister's direction.

Lucius sighed tiredly and passed a hand over his pale face. He made his way to where Narcissa was weeping softly on the settee. He pried her fine-boned hands from her face gently.

"Narcissa, darling, come; let's go to bed," he said in a cajoling voice. As she sniffled adorably he felt a sudden rush of affection for his wife. He wondered what Sirius had meant to Narcissa. It had to have been something significant to have her, who was usually so composed, breaking down in tears. His death had tore down that impenetrable icy mask that she hid behind, the one she usually only let down for him or, occasionally, Draco.

A brief flicker of insecurity flared inside his chest as he walked with her to their bed. Not enough to be classified as jealousy, but uncertainty plagued him all the same. She slipped into their bathroom to get ready for bed, and he took off his Death Eater robes, grimacing. He hated the dreadful things. They were a physical reminder of all of the horrible things he had done robed in them.

Narcissa came out clothed in her nightgown, sniffling. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed and a little puffy. Lucius thought she looked lovely. As he extinguished the lights and they lay down, she rested her head on his bare chest and he drew her petite form closer to his. After she gave a particularly loud sniff Lucius decided he needed to voice his concerns.

"Narcissa?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" her voice trembled.

"Did you...love him?" Lucius was proud to say that his voice didn't show any of the insecurity he was feeling, and it was perfectly steady. He could feel her thick lashes skimming his bare skin as she blinked. He wondered what expression her delicate features wore. Was she bemused that he was asking this of her? Would she be scared of what he would do if she confessed to it?

"Yes, of course I did," she said miserably and snuggled into his chest further. Lucius blinked, completely taken unawares. This he had not been expecting. But he had asked, and now he would bear the burden of the truth. His jaw clenched.

Narcissa had not been expecting the odd question, but in light of Sirius' death it's bizarre nature had been widely overlooked. But when she felt Lucius' jaw, which was nestled in her hair, tense, she couldn't help but feel she should have given the question and her nonchalant answer more thought. And then the real meaning and feelings behind the inquiry hit her like a ton of bricks. She felt as stupid as a troll. She sat up and the covers fell off them both. Lucius shivered slightly and sat up too.

"Oh Lucius! Don't be a great stupid prat! He was my cousin!" He could hear the laughter in her voice and he felt the back of his neck reddened with embarrassment. He flung an arm around her waist and fell back onto the bed so she fell as well. She was now giggling in earnest.

"Good," he growled as his fingertips grazed the bare skin of her arm, eliciting gooseflesh. As they moved upwards, skimming her collarbone she shivered against him. "You're mine," he whispered possessively. Narcissa sighed contentedly in agreement and met his lips in a languid kiss.

"Lucius, I love you," she said suddenly as they were drifting off to sleep. He stroked her golden hair.

"And I you, dearest," he murmured, kissing her forehead.

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><p><strong>"An ounce of blood is worth a pound of friendship." - Spanish proverb<strong>

**"Jealousy and love are sisters." - Russian proverb**

**A/N: Awww Lucius and Narcissa are so cute! I think that Narcissa and Sirius might have been friends, whereas Bellatrix is simply insane, and so Narcissa would take the news of his death badly whereas Bellatrix would cackle madly like a witch. Silly Lucius, reading into things. Honestly, what a drama queen. :3 :D**

**Thanks for reading, please review! :)**


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